Energy

Albuquerque, NM --- The Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is squandering a chance to save tens of billions of gallons of water through the year 2033 by investing in large-scale, cost-effective renewable energy. PNM is instead planning to use mostly nuclear, coal, and natural gas, all highly water intensive, to replace the power from two soon to be shuttered stacks at the San Juan Generating Stations in northwestern New Mexico. The Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club and 350 New Mexico issued its “PNM Water You Thinking Report” today detailing PNM's plan to unnecessarily consume large amounts of water in power production, which the utility described in their December filing to the Public Regulation Commission (PRC).

SANTA FE, NM - The Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday voted to make a damaging change to the rule that enforces New Mexico’s renewable-energy law.

Counsel Rick Blumenfeld deceptively told the commission that his recommendation addressed concerns of commenters and failed to tell the commission that most commenters had reached a consensus to keep the current rule intact.

The Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club is focused on energy issues that have a direct impact on climate change, air pollution, and the green economy. These activities are part of the national Sierra Club priorities “Beyond Coal,” “Clean Energy Solutions,” and “Federal and International Climate Campaign.”

The Sierra Club’s Cool Cities Campaign works with cities that have joined the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to accelerate their implementation of effective programs.

To date, more than 1000 mayors nationwide have signed the agreement. In New Mexico, seven cities are participating in the program: Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Capitan, Las Cruces, Ruidoso, Santa Fe (City and County), and Taos. Under the agreement, participating cities commit to take the following three actions:

Join more than 30 community groups to call on PNM to create a more responsible replacement plan as it retires half the coal-fired power at San Juan Generating Station near Farmington.

On Monday, Jan. 5, we'll rally at 9 a.m. outside the PERA building in Santa Fe, where the Public Regulation Commission is holding hearings on PNM's plan to replace more than 800 megawatts of coal power with mostly out-of-state nuclear energy, more coal and natural gas.

Showtime Episode: Years of Living Dangerously: Winds of Change & Deciding New Mexico's Energy Future Panel Discussion: Spin or Reality PNM's San Juan Power Replacement Plan January PRC Hearings. We’ll show “Years of Living Dangerously Episode 6” on methane leaks, fracking, the promise of renewable energy and state efforts to repeal Renewable Energy Standards. Intent is to use this to educate and prep the public for Jan 5 PRC.

Rio Grande Chapter Energy Team chair Denise Fort and team member Verne Loose, an energy economist, did a study of the economics of oil and gas drilling in New Mexico and found that, despite common claims from industry, New Mexico's oil and gas companies are not generally smaller or less able to operate under common-sense regulations like the "Pit Rule" that safeguard our water and air from contamination.

Both of New Mexico’s coal plants will soon be burning a lot less of that polluting fuel, thanks to EPA safeguards and the efforts of groups like ours. But utilities and other players continue to double down on this losing hand. Here’s an update on where coal in New Mexico stands:

Renewable energy’s wild ride started in January, with a move by industry players to reverse the renewable-energy rule that New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission had just passed in December 2012.

New Mexico Industrial Energy Consumers and other anti-renewables forces moved in just days after Commissioners Jason Marks and Doug Howe, who had worked to hold utilities accountable for complying with the state Renewable Energy Act, left office.

The saga of the important but complex renewables rule has lasted all year.

By Mona Blaber
Communications director
It isn’t often that the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission holds its meetings in front of more than a few lawyers, staff and representativs of regulated companies.
But on Sept. 10, when commissioners took public comments on changes to an important rule that implements New Mexico’s Renewable Energy Act, supporters of clean energy showed up in such large numbers that the hearing had to be moved to a larger auditorium.